Robbie Henshaw handed Ireland an RBS 6 Nations fitness boost as Connacht thrashed Enisei-STM 47-5 to qualify for the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Tipperary SHC: Champions Loughmore-Castleiney defeated Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-17 to 2-10 in a nail-biting finish to this quarter-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

Waterford IT 0-17 Cork IT 0-12

Waterford IT 0-17 Cork IT 0-12

Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-11 Kildangan 0-14

Munster IHC final:

Limerick 0-15 Tipperary 0-20

Tipperary 3-23 UCC 2-15

Tipperary senior hurling manager Declan Ryan has cut seven players from an extended squad ahead of next Saturday’s Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-final against UL — including 2010 All-Ireland winner Pat Kerwick.

JOY unconfined for Drom & Inch yesterday in Semple Stadium as they won their first Tipperary senior hurling title, edging out Clonoulty Rossmore by two points to get their hands on the Dan Breen Cup.

AN injury-time goal by substitute Michéal Harney put the seal on Waterford’s win over Tipperary in a frantic finish to last night’s Munster MHC quarter-final in Walsh Park.

LIMERICK IT nailed down a Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final berth at Moylish yesterday and left this year’s hosts on the brink of missing the finals weekend.

IT MAY have taken a late quality point from full-forward Keith Hogan to save UCD’s bacon in this thrilling Fitzgibbon Cup game at WIT’s Carriganore venue yesterday, but it was well deserved on a day hurling itself was the real winner.

“A GOOD ould workout,” was the verdict of new Tipperary manager Declan Ryan after yesterday’s one-point loss to WIT in this Waterford Crystal Tournament preliminary-round match, a game that doubled as the 2011 season opener for the All-Ireland champions.

Timmy Hammersley got one over on his native county Tipperary as Waterford IT handed the reigning All-Ireland champions their first defeat of 2011.

THURLES CBS survived a late rally by Blackwater Community School at Clonmel yesterday to book their place in the knockout stages of the Harty Cup after Christmas.

THURLES SARS retained their Tipperary senior hurling title in dull and damp Semple Stadium yesterday, capping off a superb year for their four Tipperary All-Ireland-winning stars, but only after a testing final few minutes against a young Clonoulty-Rossmore side that will surely come again.

ON the Clonoulty-Rossmore team facing Thurles Sarsfields in Sunday’s Tipperary SHC final in Semple Stadium you have Tom Butler, and then you have Big Tommy Butler.

IT WAS billed as the game of the round between two former champions, but this Harty Cup first-round clash at Cahir yesterday never got off the ground, as Thurles CBS eased their way to victory.

SECOND-HALF goals from substitutes Noel McGrath and Patrick Maher proved decisive as Tipperary defeated Munster finalists Waterford by five points in a keenly-contested senior hurling challenge at Semple Stadium last night.

TIPPERARY are nursing a number of injury concerns ahead of the Munster SHC quarter-final showdown with Cork on Sunday week following a low key challenge outing against Clare in Thurles last night.

Tipperary 1-19 Waterford 2-16

GOALKEEPER Ger Reidy has sensationally quit the Kerry football squad to concentrate on his studies.

THIRTY years of failures and disappointment in the Fitzgibbon Cup were washed away as NUI Galway swept to success on their home turf in Pearse Stadium on Saturday.

University of Limerick 0-14 Waterford IT 1-15

Waterford IT 0-18 UCC 1-10

A useful exercise for new Clare manager Ger O’Loughlin in this first round Waterford Crystal senior hurling tournament in magnificent Meelick yesterday afternoon, as his charges chiselled out a gritty three-point win over WIT (Waterford Institute of Technology).

Ger 'Sparrow' O'Loughlin got his managerial career with Clare off to a good start at Meelick when his side carved out a hard-earned 0-15 to 1-9 win over Waterford IT in the Waterford Crystal Cup.

Clare 2-12 Waterford IT 1-12, Meelick

Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-17 Thurles Sarsfields 1-14

Midleton CBS 3-8 Thurles CBS 0-16